Fastening device for shoes.



T. F. HOR RIGANQ FASTENING DEVICE FOR SHOES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.6. 1915.

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THOMAS E. I-IORRIG-AN, CF BRIGHTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

FASTENING DEVICE FOR SHOES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 15, 1915.

Application filed. January 6, 1915. Serial No. 865. i

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS F. HORRIGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brighton, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Fastening Devices for Shoes, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to improvements in shoe fastening devices and particularly to a device adapted to retain the tops of the uppers of high shoes closely together and also to support a tongue in place.

In the ordinary form of laced shoes the tongue is attached to the upper end of the toe portion of the vamp and lies loosely beneath the side facings of the upper. By reason of the fact that the tongue is usually made of very flexible leather it becomes easily displaced and oftentimes works to one side so that it does not cover the space between the edges of the upper, thus displaying the stocking in an-unseemly manner and also permitting the access of cold and dampness to the ankle.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide means for holding the tongue positively in place in the shoe so that it cannot work to one side or wrinkle down into the instep.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for retaining the top of the shoe in closed position, notwithstanding looseness in lacing or the breakage of one or both of the lacing strings.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple device adapted to accomplish the purposes above mentioned which may be applied easily to the tongue of any shoe and which will be effective in its operation.

Other objects of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates a shoe partly laced and showing my invention applied thereto, Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view through the tongue and its supporting means showing one manner in which the fastening device may-be secured to the tongue and applied to the topmost lacing studs of the shoe,.and, Fig. 3 is a view of a modified form of support for thetongue and closure for the uppers of the shoe.

I have illustrated in the drawings a shoe 1 of the usual type having the usual lacing eyelets 2 and lacing studs 3, the shoe being provided with a tongue 4 of the usual character. My invention comprises a loop 5 of resilient material fastened to the uppermost part of the tongue in any suitable manner and adapted to be looped over the top lacing studs 3 as illustrated herein. The resilient loop 5 may be of any suitable material such as a rubber cord having a wovencover, a helical spring, with or Without a cover,0r a helical spring having a rubber core with or without a woven cover, preferably however the resilient loop is provided with an elastically woven cover in order that it may present a sightly appearance and not be distinguished from the lacings of the shoe.

The ends 67 of the loop 5 may, as illustrated in Fig. 2, be secured to a metallic plate which in turn may be fastened to the upper portion of the tongue. As shown in this figure the metallic plate 8 is perforated at substantially its central portion in such a manner that prongs 910 project upwardly from the face of the plate. The ends of the resilient member are passed through the opening thus provided andthe prongs 9-l0 bent inwardly so that their ends engage and are embedded partially within the resilient member. The plate 8 may also be provided with two or more prongs ll12 which may be thrust through the tongue 4 and clenched upon the underside thereof. The device thus described comprises an easily assembled and convenient article which may be applied readily to any ordinary shoe.

An alternative form of the device is illustrated in Fig. 3 which illustrates a metallic plate 13 having prongs 14 for securing the same to the shoe and having at its central portion a loop 15 Within which the endsof the resilient member 16 are secured. The resilient member in such case is illustrated as a helix of wire having its ends fastened together and to the plate 15. This device likewise may be easily applied to the tongue of 1 a shoe either during its manufacture or afterward, as will be obvious.

In operation the resilient loop is attached to the uppermost part of the tongue in the manner aforesaidand is adapted to project between the parts of the upper when the shoe is placed upon the foot, the loop being then stretched to embrace the uppermost lacing studs as illustrated in Fig. 1, the shoe is then laced in the ordinary manner the lacings being desirably passed over the uppermost studs concealing the tongue supporting and closing device. lhe tongue will thus be held efiectively in place while the shoe is being worn and the device will prevent the tongue from slipping laterally to expose the stocking at the ankle. Should the lacings become loosened the tongue supporting means above described will retain the tongue in position so as to prevent the access of cold air to the ankle and this will be accomplished even though the lacing string should break.

It is to be understood that this invention includes not only means for supporting the tongues of shoes of the class illustrated in the drawing but is adapted also to support the tongues of low quartered shoes, gaiters, removable uppers, laced stockings and the I like.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A tongue support and closure for shoes comprising a resilient member adapted to be attached to the tongue of the shoe and adapted to engage lacing studs upon the opposite sides of the upper.

2. A tongue support and closure for shoes comprising a plate having fastening prongs, and a resilient loop having its ends attached to said plate substantially as described.

3. A tongue support and closure for shoes comprising a metallic plate, means for fastening the plate to the tongue of the shoe, and a resilient member fastened to said plate and adapted to be stretched to engage oppositely disposed lacing studs.

4. A tongue support and closure for shoes comprising a metallic plate having a boss, and a resilient member consisting of a wire helix having its ends secured to said boss and adapted to be stretched over opposite lacing studs upon a shoe substantially as described.

5. A tongue support and closure for shoes comprising a metallic plate, having prongs to fasten the same to the tongue of the shoe, a central boss and a resilient member consisting of a wire helix having a woven covering, having its ends secured to said boss, and adapted to be stretched over opposite lacing studs upon a shoe substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS F. HORRIGAN.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK A. TENNANT, THOMAS J. DRUMMOND.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

